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Amendment 1 promotes solar the right way in Florida while protecting consumers from scams and rip-offs. It’s just that simple.

So why do opponents of Amendment 1 want to rewrite history on how this good solar amendment was placed on the November ballot? Answer: Because Amendment 1 stops their special-interest subsidies.

Here’s a quick review of the facts: After we met with solar advocates about their proposed amendment in early 2015 to address our concerns about its lack of consumer protections, they flatly rejected any suggestions we had to make their amendment better for consumers.

Since our opponents chose a constitutional amendment to present to voters, Consumers for Smart Solar decided to present an amendment that would preserve your right to solar and allow government to continue its proper role to protect consumers from scams, rip-offs, unfair subsidies and unsafe solar installations.

Unfortunately, like our opponents who grapple with the facts, the Naples Daily News editorial board glossed over a few key points.

First, Consumers for Smart Solar sponsored Amendment 1 because out-of-state companies don’t want you to own your own solar panels and generate your own solar electricity. They prefer a specific business model whereby they trap unsuspecting customers into 20-year solar lease contracts with annual cost increases – and they want complete immunity from consumer protection laws.

But please, don’t take my word for it – just google “Arizona Solar Fraud” and “Arizona Solar Bankruptcy” and you’ll see why we don’t want solar to get a black eye in Florida like it has in Arizona.

Now let’s talk transparency. Why? Because 90 percent of our opponents’ contributions come from a single out-of-state organization that refuses to disclose its donors. What are they hiding? Those out-of-state solar companies, perhaps? Maybe. But I guess we’ll never truly know.

But enough about their failed policy approach to solar and their secret donors. Let’s talk about the right way to do solar in Florida with Amendment 1.

Amendment 1 will be on your ballot Nov. 8 because more than 1 million Florida voters signed petitions to put it there and when the Florida Supreme Court approved Amendment 1 for the ballot, the majority ruling stated, “... we find that the title and summary clearly and unambiguously inform the voter ....”

Further, when state economists and policy experts thoroughly reviewed Amendment 1, they determined “... that the proposed amendment will not require any change in current or anticipated state and local regulation or taxation of solar energy in Florida.”

Here’s why Amendment 1 is good for Florida consumers:

Amendment 1 will safeguard consumer rights, by ensuring that consumers will always have the right to generate their own solar electricity. And contrary to our opponents’ claims, under Amendment 1, solar customers can still sell any excess electricity they generate back onto the grid.

Amendment 1 does not preclude or hinder any approach to solar. It merely ensures that whatever approach to solar Florida takes, government will be able to protect consumers from scams, rip-offs and unsafe solar installations.

Amendment 1 ensures consumer fairness by allowing government to retain its current authority to stop unfair subsidies.

The rhetoric is high this election season but there’s a clear and straightforward choice in November – “yes” on Amendment 1.

Join our broad and diverse coalition to support solar the right way in the Sunshine State. Learn more about Amendment here: SmartSolarFL.org.

Kallinger is a former member of the Florida House of Representatives, current president of the Faith & Freedom Coalition of Florida and co-chairman of Consumers for Smart Solar.